Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2021; 10(2): 622-624 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 www.phytojournal.com Integrated management of top borer, Scirpophaga JPP 2021; 10(2): 622-624 Received: 05-01-2021 excerptalis Walker in sugarcane crop Accepted: 17-02-2021 Shyamvir Singh Shyamvir Singh and Arvind Kumar Janta Vedic Post Graduate College, Baraut, Bagpat, Uttar Abstract Pradesh, India The results of two years on larval population of top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis showed remarkable Arvind Kumar variations under the influence of various treatments and were superior over untreated control Percent Janta Vedic Post Graduate reduction in larval population of top borer showed significant variation in the treatments. Treatment of College, Baraut, Bagpat, Uttar endosulfan reduced the larval population to great extent (76.66%) followed by NPV (53.29%). The Pradesh, India treatment with NSKE proved to be less effective (41.73%) against top borer. Two sprays with endosulfan gave highest per Rupee return (Rs. 4.29) followed by treatment having sprayed with neem seed kernel extract (Rs. 3.40), whereas, lowest per Rupee return of Rs 3.14 was recorded in the treatment having two sprays of NPV (Rs 3.14). Keywords: Top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis, sugarcane crop Introduction More than 200 species of insects are known from India, however, a few are considered as most devastating. Some of the common insects of the sugarcane, among them the sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker is the most dangerous to mid-late maturing varieties and responsible for heavy loss in cane yield to the extent of 51% (Pandey et al. 1997; Madan [10, 5] et al. 1999) . Sugarcane infestation by S. excerptalis resulted in 30.08% weight loss and [4] decreased cane length by 24.39% (Madan & Singh 2001) . In Uttar Pradesh, India, a study by Singh & Singh (1997) [14] recorded reductions in cane stalk length by up to 68.0%, the number of internodes by up to 67%, cane weight by up to 86%, and CCS by up to 25.90% due to borer infestation. Among the pest, Gupta et al. (1993) [3] reported more than 45 per cent of yield losses in sugarcane are due to infestation by borer pests alone. Integrated pest management that combines, cultural, mechanical, bio-pesticides and chemical pesticides. Bio-pesticides are certain natural plant products that belong to the so called secondary metabolites that include thousands alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics and minor secondary chemicals. All parts of neem tree possess insecticidal property but seed kernel is the most active. Neem products appear to be quite promising against top borer ((Pandey et al. [11, 1] 1998; Abdullah et al. 2006) Viral bio-pesticides of baculovirus group namely Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) after great scope as crop protection against on high value crops against lepidopteran pests (Misra et al., 1991) [6]. A granulovirus was found to infect sugarcane top borer, Scirpophaga excerptalis for the first time and observed that this virus infects the [13] larvae about 14.4% in the field (Singaravalu et al., 1999) . Western Uttar Pradesh is a greate producer of sugarcane which attacked by top borer and caused suffered maximum damage to the crop. Keeping this in view, a study was conducted to determine the efficacy of insecticide and bio-pesticides against top borer. Materials and Methods Two experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of insecticide and bio-pesticides against top borer, S.excerptalis in sugarcane crop during 2009 and 2010. The crop was planted in the fourth week of February and all the agronomical package of practices recommended for the region was followed in raising the crops. There were four treatments viz. endosulfan 35 EC (2 l/ha), NPV (500 LE/ha), Nem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE) (5%) and control (untreated). Each treatment was repeated for five times. In a season, two sprays were given as per schedule when the larval population crossed the 1 or 2 larvae / 10 plants (economic threshold level) at 15 days intervals started from first week of July. The sprays were given with the help of Corresponding Author: knapsack sprayer in the evening hours. 1.0% Jaggery solution was used in NPV. Care was Shyamvir Singh Janta Vedic Post Graduate taken to avoid spray shift to adjacent plots. The population of larva was recorded on the 10 College, Baraut, Bagpat, Uttar randomly selected plants in each plot of each treatment. The counts were made before spraying Pradesh, India and on 5, 10 and 15 days after each spraying. ~ 622 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry http://www.phytojournal.com The efficacy of bio-pesticides and insecticide was determined larval population of S.excerptalis showed remarkable in terms of reduction in the larval population over control. variations under the influence of various treatments and were The cane yield was recorded in each plot of each treatment. superior over untreated control. The pre-treatment counts on Cost benefit ratio was also calculated for each treatment on larval population were ranged from 5.07 to 5.60 larvae/ 10 the basis of price of inputs like bio-pesticides, insecticide in plants. A significant reduction in its population was brought the local market and labor charge and existing whole market by the treatments after 10 days of their application, and as the price in Meerut at the time of harvesting. The reduction in exposure period increases from 5 to 15 days, the level of yield and cost benefit ratio was calculated by applying the population was also increased in all treatments. However, in following formulae:- treatment with endosulfan, the level of larval population decreased to 0.73 larva/ 10 plants after 10 days of second Yield reduction = Yield in a protected crop - yield in spray. After 2nd spray, the mean larval population varied unprotected crop significantly between 1.33 to 7.21 larvae/10 plants, the lowest and highest being in endosufan and untreated control, respectively. Percent reduction in larval population of top borer showed significant variation in the treatments. Treatment of endosulfan reduced the larval population to The statistical analysis of variance of the data obtained from great extent (76.66%) followed by NPV (53.29%). The experiments during different years including pooled data was treatment with NSKE proved to be less effective (41.73%) done as per method by Panse and Sukatme (1967) [7]. The data against top borer (Table 1). on larval population were analyzed after √x + 1 It was reported that systemic organophosphorus insecticide, transformation and that of per cent values after angular reduced top borer incidence and increased cane yield over transformation of x + 1 (Fisher and Yates 1982) [2]. control (Pandey and Solanki 2007) [12]. Application of endosufan at 120 DAP gave the full protection from top borer Results and Discussion (Pandya et al., 2007) [12]. In the present study, two sprays of Field experiments were conducted in sugarcane crop during endosulfan reduced the larval population by 76.66% which is two consecutive years 2009 and 2010 to determine the in accordance to past studies. Two sprays of neem seed kernel efficacy of insecticide (endosulfan 35 EC) and bio-pesticides extract was the third best, reduced the larval population up to viz. NPV and Neem seed kernel Extract (NSKE) against top 41.73%. Tewari (2001) [15], Abdullah et al (2006) [1] and borer, S. excerptalis in sugarcane crop. The results after first Pandey (2014) [9] also reported that the larval population kept and second spray were reported separately in Table 1 and 2. low during the season by application of neem products. The pooled data of two years in Table 1 revealed that the Table 1: Integrated management of Scirpophaga excerptalis in sugarcane crop during 2009 &2010 (Pooled). First spray Second spray Treatment Dose Larvae/10 plants after days of Ist spray Larvae/10 plants after days of IInd spray Pre treatment 5 10 15 Mean Percent reduction 5 10 15 mean Percent reduction Endosulfan 35 EC 2 l/ha 5.54 2.83 1.78 2.17 2.27(1.79)a 59.85(51.33)b 1.73 0.73 1.45 1.33(1.52)a 76.66(62.03)b NPV 500 LE/ha 5.07 3.57 2.73 2.77 3.03(2.00) 39.87(39.72) 2.57 2.17 2.33 2.35(1.82) 53.29(47.48) NSKE 5% 5.67 4.37 3.47 3.83 3.89(2.20) 31.43(34.58) 3.57 3.13 3.19 3.32(2.07) 41.73(40.78) Untreated - 5.60 6.13 6.38 6.90 6.46(2.72) 0.00(5.74) 7.16 7.33 6.92 7.21(2.56) 0.00(5.74) SE(m)± - - - - - (0.059) (1.06) - - - (0.052) (1.73) CD at 0.5% - - - - - (0.18)** (3.27)** - - - (0.16)** (5.33)** a: /x+1 value. b: Angular value of x+1. **: Significant at 1%. Table 2: Economic evaluation of management against Scirpophaga excerptalis in sugarcane crop during 2009 & 2010 (Pooled) Treatment Estimated yield (t/ha) Increased over the control (t/ha) Benefit (j) Expense (j) Cost/Benefit Ratio Endosulfan 35EC (2 l/ha) 78.59 6.29 9624 2244 1:4.29 NPV (500 LE/ha) 75.70 3.40 5202 1658 1:3.14 NSKE (5%) 74.78 2.48 3794 1117 1:3.40 Untreated 72.30 - - - - The benefit cost analysis for each treatment showed that two performance as compared to neem seed kernel extract from sprays with endosulfan gave highest per Rupee return (Rs. reduction in larval population and increase in yield point of 4.29) followed by treatment having sprayed with neem seed view.